When is it time to change lures or patterns

[Justbass11]

So my question is this...when one is fishing let’s say worms and they aren’t working when is it time to change patterns or say lures???

[Jig Man]

I change baits way before I change patterns.  When I am by myself I often have 10 setups rigged and ready.  I keep some on the deck and some at the passenger's console.  I make a predetermined # of casts then pick up a different setup.  If I make it through all of them and have nothing, I move the boat and try something else.

 

When all else fails out comes the little guy.  If they won't hit him they won't hit anything.

[CroakHunter]

No set time for me. When I lose confidence in it, then I will change patterns/lures/clolors/rate of fall.

[Dtrombly]

1 minute ago, CroakHunter said:

No set time for me. When I lose confidence in it, then I will change patterns/lures/clolors/rate of fall.

Pretty much this for me. I usually always start with moving baits and fish fast, and if that doesn't work I will gradually downsize to more subtle presentations. 

[J.Vincent]

Depends on what other factors may have changed....but in my experience , it's always best to follow your gut instinct. Even when your gut instinct is poor, eventually if you make your own instinctual decisions enough you eliminate options and Build confidence in your ability to make on the water decisions. Also sometimes it's best to change areas and not lures, but it's really all based on angler instinct. Personally for me, when I feel like im running in quick sand, then I know it's absolutely time to make on the fly decisions. Otherwise I really like to stick with a presentation long enough to get some type of feedback from the fish, in other words if I've covered high percentage areas I know should hold fish and not gotten bit or only catching short fish...then it's time to rethink the approach. 

[Catt]

FYI: a pattern means you're catching, I wouldn't be changing that!

 

As for when to change lures or locations even KVD struggles with that question.

[Sam]

Who knows? Even the Shadow doesn't know.

 

In fact, I spend way too much time with a bait or technique because I think it is the right one, even though I have not had a bite in over an hour.

 

Other guys and gals switch out after shorter times, like 15 minutes. Or the number of casts they make.

 

It all boils down to confidence. Confidence in your baits and techniques. If you have confidence in your baits and presentations and are not catching anything then it is more difficult for you to change. However, if you are open minded you need to try different colors, styles and types of baits and different presentations.

 

This is totally up to you. Based on what you are catching or not catching you have to try to find the pattern for the hour or day. Easier said then done. You have to be open minded although you have already planned your day in your head.

 

Change is difficult. But if what you are doing isn't working you have to change it. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. That's the challenge of  bass fishing.  

[NHBull]

If your not catching fish, I am not sure how good the pattern is, that said I believe your gutt is the answer as it interprets  thoughts, which are often accounts of past experiences.

 

In that situation, I sometimes revert to junk fishing and throw things that don't see the water much. I change my experience to "education" and the expansion of my comfort zone. With this in mind, sometimes my busted patterns helps me become a better fisherman

[Koz]

I'm quick to change baits and change locations when I'm fishing on my home turf. I know what lures I have had success with at different points in the season and I know where the bigger fish are usually located in most lagoons. And with over 200 lagoons in that immediate area I have plenty of locations to choose from.

 

So far I've only fished about a dozen of those lagoons. I want to fish these thoroughly multiple times, then I'll add a new location or two into the mix. The interesting thing here is that most of the lagoons are interconnected through the stormwater system so the fish can and will move from lagoon to lagoon.

 

When I say "bigger" I mean 3 pounds and up. I'm kind of a "fishing snob" in that I'm not looking to catch 50 dinks in a day. I'm like targeting bigger bass and looking for my first double digit catch. While I haven't landed a DD yet there have been plenty of 5 and 6 pounders. I know the DD's are there because I've seen the pictures. They also shocked the main lake and counted, weighed, and tagged the bigger fish. They're out there - I just need to find them!

[scaleface]

You just have to play it by ear . A person can be correct in lure choice  and just be in the wrong place . A person can assume that bass are shallow up the creeks and get skunked in one and load up in the next .Bass fishing is funny like that .

[Catt]

"If you do what you always did you'll get what you always got!"

 

Some look at the quote as negative, I prefer to look at it as positive!

 

Just because the bite is slow doesn't mean I need to change anything because I understand that next after location is timing. Some days ya gotta cover a lot of water...some days ya don't.

 

I spent 3 1/2 hours without a bump before boating this 8.25# Hawg, if I had abandoned my plan I wouldn't have met that lady!

 

 

[Mike L]

Agree with all above. 

Just keep Improvising to Overcome what's not working and be ready Adapt to what is. 

 

Thats why they call it fishing. 

 

 

 

Mike

[Ratherbfishing]

As others have said, if you aren't catching (much), it isn't much of a pattern.  A pattern is when you find something that works.  HOWEVER, if it's a pattern that isn't particularly good and I think there are ways I might do better or I simply don't care for the pattern I'm on-or the techniques required for it-I might switch.

 

I'm a strong believer in versatility and having a willingness to change however I also believe in playing to ones strengths.  Few people are really outstanding at everything.  I'm more likely to move TO my strengths than I am to deviate too much from them.  Confidence (and competence) are major keys catching fish.

[Justbass11]

I guess I’m still trying to learn how to fish off a boat. Definitely not used to fishing in NC being from FL. Two things is for sure is this, 1) fishing off a boat is way different then fishing on the banks of golf course lakes and 2) being from FL and learning to fish the deeper water lakes of NC is a new challenge all in itself. But like they say “a bad day fishing is better then a good day of work” Thanks for all your inputs. Nice 8lb Bass Catt 

 

[scaleface]

Lures can overlap . If you  think fish are in laydowns for example there are several lures that can be effective . Spinnerbaits , t-rigs, jigs , squarebills and buzzbaits will work . just keep  at  it and if you do catch fish pay attention to where that laydown is . Same thing goes for other cover and structure .  if I'm fishing a point for ex. there are at least three lure  categories   I will try before giving up on it .

[Glenn]

 

[Mobasser]

I agree strongly with Sam and Cat. I tend to stay with one lure longer than some others, but I really only use things I have confidence in. Ill change baits, but only after trying my favorites first, or vary retrieves with my favorites. Usually I can get some action this way, but not always. That's all part of fishing